The Heiress' Re Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Chapter 28

A R I A N A

Dante smirked, running a hand through his damp hair. "Like what you see, wife?"

I nearly dropped the tray. "Does being sick make you cheeky?" I muttered, marching inside before he could see how red my face was.

I set the tray on the bedside table with more force than necessary. "Eat, then take your dicine."

Dante didn’t move from his spot. "Feed ."

I gaped at him. "What?"

"You heard ." He folded his arms, making his biceps bulge. "I’m sick, weak and can’t possibly hold a spoon."

I pointed at his very obviously strong arms. "You’re not weak!"

Dante coughed dramatically, swaying slightly. "Fever...so dizzy..."

"You’re impossible!" I threw my hands up but when he wobbled again for real this tim —I sighed. "Fine! But only because I don’t want you dying on !"

I grabbed the bowl and sat on the edge of the bed, Dante’s smirk widened as he joined , his bare thigh pressing against mine.

The first spoonful of soup nearly ended up on his chest when my hand shook, dante caught my wrist, steadying it.

"Careful," he murmured, his fingers warm against my skin. "Wouldn’t want to waste your...special care."

I glared. "Just eat."

But as I fed him, sothing strange things kept happening.

The room grew quiet except for the soft sounds of him eating Our eyes kept eting, his dark and knowing, mine probably betraying everything I felt.

"You didn’t have to do this," Dante said suddenly between bites.

I shrugged, focusing on stirring the soup. "I know."

A beat of silence, then his finger under my chin, tilting my face up.

"But I’m glad you did."

The raw honesty in his voice startled , for once, there was no smirk, no teasing just Dante.

My heart did a stupid little flip.

This man would be the death of .

And right now?

I may not even care.

I fed him till the last spoon my mind dozing away. The heat between us growing by every minute.

What was wrong with ?

I didn’t like the way I was feeling, it wasn’t healthy for the both of us. Part of

reminded

that this was only just business, nothing more nothing less and letting things go aboard was a bad idea, one that I didn’t want to risk.

After how things ended with Angelo, I didn’t want to go through that sa pain again and the sooner I live on that the better it is.

Suddenly, it all hit

at once.

My eyes stung as I jerked up from the bed, the soup bowl nearly toppling over.

This wasn’t supposed to be happening, none of it; the caring, tenderness and the way my stupid heart kept fluttering every ti he looked at .

"Ariana?" Dante’s voice was rough with confusion.

I turned away, but not fast enough, his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my wrist like a brand.

"Let

go," I whispered, but there was no force behind it.

Instead of releasing , Dante pulled hard a gasp slipping from my lips as I tumbled backward, landing squarely in his lap. His arms ca around

before I could escape, trapping

against his still-too-warm chest.

"What’s wrong?" he demanded, his breath hot against my ear.

The dam broke.

"Everything!" I choked out, struggling weakly. "Don’t you get it? The whole world thinks I’m so...so slut who jumped from one Russo to the next! That I married you for money or power or—"

Dante’s arms tightened. "I took care of that."

"But it doesn’t change the truth!" My voice cracked. "This... is... it’s all wrong, we’re wrong. You treated

like property, like so business deal and now you’re acting like...like..."

Like you care.

The words stuck in my throat.

Dante was silent for a long mont.

Before his voice ca, calmly "You’re right."

I froze.

"I treated you badly," he continued, his voice rough with sothing I’d never heard before—regret. "You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry."

A tear slipped free before I could stop it my heart pounded so hard I was sure he could feel it.

Dante Russo.

Apologizing.

The world must have been ending.

His thumb brushed my cheek, catching another tear. "Things don’t have to be the way they were," he murmured. "We can start over, if you want."

I looked up then, eting his dark eyes no longer cold, but warm.

Gently,

Vulnerable

Just like .

And in that mont, despite all logic, despite all the pain and anger and betrayal...

I wanted to believe him.

His dark eyes searched mine, his fingers still gently wiping away my teare the silence between us felt growing.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice rough but softer than I’d ever heard it.

My brain scread at

to say no, to pull away, to rember all the reasons this was a bad idea.

But my heart?

My stupid, traitorous heart?

It made

nod before I could stop myself.

He didn’t move at first, as if giving

one last chance to change my mind and when I didn’t, he leaned in slowly, so slowly I could have counted each of his long eyelashes.

His lips brushed mine once, light and teasing.

Then again, firr this ti.

A small sound escaped my throat as my hands found their way to his bare shoulders, his skin hot beneath my fingers.

Dante groaned low in his chest, one hand tangling in my hair as the other pulled

closer against him, the kiss deepened, turning from sothing sweet and hesitant to hot and demanding.

I forgot about the soup cooling on the nightstand.

I forgot about the rumors and the blogs and the whole ssed-up situation.

All that existed was Dante’s mouth on mine, his hands in my hair, the way my whole body seed to co alive under his touch.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Dante rested his forehead against mine.

"Fuck Ariana... you’re so perfect ," he murmured, already leaning in.